Apparatus for dyeing, scouring, or otherwise treating yarn or other fibers in the hank or skein



H. M. DUDLEY APPARATUS FQR DYEING, SCOURING, OR OTHERWISE TREATING YARN OR OTHER FIBERS IN THE HANK 0R SKEIN Flled August 7 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 16 1926.

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\ H H. M. DUDLEY APPARATUS FOR DYEING, SCOURING, OR OTHERWISE TREATING YARN OR OTHER FIBERS IN THE HANK OR SKEIN Filed' August '7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIweJzZbr:

f[0waJ-d, Mlhwli Patented llflar. 16, 122%,

UNITED srarss PATENTOFFIQE.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING, SCOURING, OR OTHERWISE TREATING YARN OR OTHER FIBER-S IN THE HANK OR SKEIN.

I Application filed. August 7, 1922. Serial No. 580,302.

yarn, or other fibers, are carried by reels,

which reels are arranged to be rotated in a 1' body of liquid disposed within a vat or tank,

and in which provision is made for imparting independent movement to the hanks or skeins of yarn.

One object of my present invention is to provide a structure of this type with simple and eflicient means, hydraulically operated, whereby the reel, together with the hanks or skeins of yarn supported thereby, may be lifted within the vat or tank.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the reel may be rotated, in either direction, during the lifting operation, or when it is submerged in the treating or dyeing liquid within the tank.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for equalizing the pressure in the cylinders receiving the liquid or fluid employed for elevating the reel.

A further object of my invention is to provide guiding means that will insure uniform movement of the reel. during the rise and fall of the same within the tank, and a still further object of my invention is to provide means for supporting the reel at various levels within the tank or vat.

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a sectional elevation ofvone form of dye vat or tank containing a reel for supporting the skeins or hanks of yarn to be dyed or otherwise treated, and the mechanism for rotatingthe reel and raising and lowering the same, within the scope of my invention, and c 2, is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1. 1

In the drawings, I have illustrated a suitable form of tank or vat, which may comprise side walls 1, end walls 2, bottom 8, and cover 4. Within the tank or vat, a reel for receiving the hanks or skcins of yarn or other fibers, indicated at X, is disposed, which reel may comprise end spiders 5 and 6, and a central spider 7, connected to and spaced from the end spiders 5 and 6, by a series of tie bars 8, which may also serve to receive the yarn; said spiders being suitably mounted upon and secured to a shaft 9, so as to move therewith.

Between the several spiders, at the periphery of the reel, suitable supporting sticks for the hanks or skeins of yarn or other fiber are placed, asindicated at 10: said sticks being polygonal and being rotatably mounted in the several spiders in any usual 'or well known manner in order that movement may be imparted to the skeins or hanks to avoid the danger of stick marks, Y

The side walls 1, of the tank or vat may be slotted at 12 for the passage of the shaft 9, and the bottom portions of said slots may be provided with bearing sections 13 in which the shaft may rotate when occupying its lowest position in the tank. The ends of said shaft may be provided with collars 14%, forming shoulders and beyond these collars are extensions 9 and 9 arranged to rest in lifting yokes 15 and 16. Disposed adjacent each side of the tank are cylinders 17 and 18, having pistons 17' and 18, respectively, which are suitably connected to the yokes 15 and 16. The yokes 1.5 and 16 may be guided by rods 20 extending between brackets 21 carried by the tops ot the cylinders 17 and 18, and brackets 22 carried by the tank near the top of the same; said guide rods fiankingthe slots 12.

For the purpose of rotating the reel with in the dye vat, the extension 9' of the shaft 9 may be provided with a bevel gear wheel 23, meshing with a bevel gear wheel 2 1, sup ported by an extension 16", carried by the lifting yoke 16, and in addition the bevel gear wheel 24 is s'lidably mounted on a vertical, driven shaft 25, to which motion may be imparted in both directions.

The shaft 25, carries a pair of bevel pin-- ions 26 and 27 loose thereon, arranged for alternate operative engagement with a bevel gear wheel 28, carried by a driven shaft 29, havingfast and loose pulleys 30 and 30,

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and to which motion may be imparted by means of a belt 81, when passing over the pulley 30. A suitable clutch member 82, operatively connected to the shaft 25, is provided so that either the pinion 26 or the pinion 27 may be placed in operative engagement with the bevel gear wheel 28, so that the vertical shaft 25 may be turned in either direction, as desired.

In structures or this kind, it is desirable to elevate the reel for the purpose of placing, or examining the skeins or hanks of yarn or other fiber carried thereby, and for this purpose I propose to employ the cylinders 17 and 18, to which fluid under pressure, to raise the pi tons 17 and 18. therein, may be admitted v a pipes 35 and 36, from suitable supply pipe 37. This pressure may be controlled by a suitable three-way valve whereby said pipe 3? may be open to pres sure or exhaust, as may be desired, in the 'aising and lowering of the reel. In order that the pistons 17 and 18 may move with the desired precision; maintaining the reel shaft in proper horizontal position, I may provide the cylinders with piped connections 35 and 36 adjacent their upper ends, through which the pressure may enter and es'haust alternately with the inlet and exhaust ot the. pressure employed in raising said pistons: proper connection being made with the supply pipe 8?, wit any valves that may be necessary.

The lifting yokes 15 and 16 are guided by the rods 20, and since it may be desirable to support the reel in an elevated position within the tank or vat, these liitingyokes may be provided with latches 39, pivoted thereto at 40. and adapted to engage notches 20. "formed in the guide rods 20. When the reel is to be lowered, these latches may be released by lifting a rod 41, which may be pivotally connected to said latches at 451p When the litting yokes 15 and 16 are in the lowered position. they may lie below the reel shaft extension 9 and 9 and the collars ly-l engage the bearings 13 and prevent en-dwise'movement oi said shaft.

It will be understood, therefore, that when the vertical driving shaft is in action, therecl will be rotated within the bath of liquid contained in the tank or dye vat, and that when pressure is admitted to the lower portion of the cylinders, not only may the reel be retated, but itwill be gradually raised. Upon exhausting the fluid from the cylinders 1-7 and IS, the reel may lower within the tank, and: the piped connections 35? and 36 pro vide for equalizing the pressure so that the l(.=wering may be gradual.

The reel which I employ may be 01": any usual type common in the art, provided with suitable sticks 8 and 10 toreceive the hanks or skeins of yarn or other fiber, and the sticks 10 at the peripheral portion of said reel being ournaled therein may be provided with means for imparting movement thereto, such as the star wheels 10*, which may b arranged to contact with turning means as the reel is rotated so that the hanks or skeins may be moved with respect to their supports to avoid stick marks on the same.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination oi a tank, brackets arranged for vertical mo ement at the sides of said tank, a reel journaled in said brackets, means for driving said reel and separate fluidpressurc actuated means at each side of the tank for raising said reel-supporting brackets; said means for driving the reel being in opera tivo relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated when disposed in any position, vertically of the tank.

2. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of atank having slotted sides, brackets arranged for vertical movement adjacent the slotted sides of said tank, a. reel having a shaft journaled in said brackets, means for driving said reel and separate fluid-pressure actuated means at each side of the tank for raising said reel-supporting brackets; said means for driving the reel being in operative relation at all times so that said reel may-be rotated when disposed in any position vertically of the tank.

3. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank, brackets arranged for vertical movement at the sides of said tank, guides for said brackets, a reel having an axially disposed sha'tt journaled in said brackets, means for driving said reel and separate luid-pressure actuated means at each side of the tank for raising said reel-supportmg brackets said means for driving the reel being in operative relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated when disposed in any position vertically of the tan l. in apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, brackets arranged for vertical movement with respect to the tank, guides for said brackets, areel having an axially disposed shaft passing through said slotted sides and journaled in said brackets, means for rotating said shaft. separate fluid-pressure actuated means at each side of the tank for raising said reelsupporting brackets, and means carried by the bracketguides for sup )ort ing said brackets independently-of the fluid-pressure means said shaft-rotating means being in operative relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated. when disposed in any position vertically of the tank.

5. In, apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, brackets arranged for vertical movement adjacent the sides of said tank, a reel disposed within said tank, a shaft supporting said reel and journaled in said brackets; means for rotating said. shaft gearing for rotating said reel in either direction, pistons connected to said brackets, cylinders in which said pistons are disposed arranged at each side of the tank, and means for directing fluid-pressure to said cylinder simultaneously to raise said pistons; said shaft-rotating means being in operative relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated when disposed in any position vertically of the tank.

(3. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, brackets arranged for vertical movement adjacent the slotted sides of said tank, a reel disposed within said tank, a shaft supporting said reel and journaled in said brackets, means for rotating said shaft gearing for rotating said reel in either direction, pistons connected to said brackets, cylinders in which said pistons are disposed arranged at each side of the tank, means for directing fluid-pressure to said cylinders simultaneously to raise said pistons, and independent means for supporting the brackets and pistons when raised by said fluid-pressure; said shaft-rotating means being in operative relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated when disposed in any position vertically of the tank.

7. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank, brackets arranged for vertical movement at the sides of said tank, a reel journaled in said brackets, gearing for rotating said reel in either directtion, fluid-pressure actuated means for raising said reel-supporting brackets and with them the reel within the tank, and releasable means, for supportin said reel at any desired height.

8. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, brackets arranged for ertical movement adjacent the sides of said tank, a reel journaled in said brackets, gearing for rotating said reel in either direction, fluid-pressure actuated means for raising said reel-supporting brackets and with them the reel within the tank, and releasable means for supporting said reel at any desired height.

9. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers in the hank or skein, the combination of a closed tank having slotted sides, a reel disposed in. said tank for carrying hanks or skeins, a shaft axially disposed with respect to said reel and extending through the slotted sides of the tank, means for rotating'said shaft; said shaft-rotating means lixeing in operative relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated when disposed in any position vertically of the tank, cylinders disposed at opposite sides of said tank below the projecting ends of said shaft, pistons within said cylinders, bearing memhere for the ends of said shafts supported by said pistons, and means for simultaneously directing fluid pressure to said cylinders to lift said shaft and the reel carried thereby. 10. I11 apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, a reel disposed in said tank, a shaft carried by said reel and extending through said slotted sides, fluid pressure cylinders mounted on opposite sides of said tax beneath said shaft, pistons'within said cylinders, bearing members for said reel shaft supported by said pistons, and guides for said bearing members.

11. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, a reel disposed in said tank, a shaft carried by said reel and extending through said slotted sides, fluidpressure cylinders mounted on opposite sides of said tank beneath said shaft, pistons within said cylinders, bearing members for said reel shaft supported by said pistons, guides for said bearing members; said guides being notched, and latches carried by said bearing members releasably engaging the notches of said guides.

12. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, a-reel disposed in said tank, a shaft carried by said reel and extending through said slotted sides, fluidpressure cylinders mounted on opposite sides of said tank beneath said shaft, pistons within said cylinders, bearing members for said shaft supported by the pistons; one of said bearing members carrying a bevel gear wheel, means for driving said bevel gear wheel, and a bevel gear wheel carried by the reel shaft and meshing with the first-named gear wheel whereby said reel may be rotated.

13. In apparatus for dyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides; a reel disposed in said tank, a shaft carried by said reel and extending through said slotted sides, fluid pressure cylinders mounted on opposite sides of said tank beneath said shaft, pistons with in said cylinders, bearing members for said reel shaft supported by said pistons, one of said bearing members carrying a bevel gear Wheel, a vertical shaft to which said bevel gear wheel is splined and upon which it is adapted to slide, a bevel gear wheel carried by the reel shaft and meshing with the first named bevel gear wheel, and means for driv- .ing said vertical shaft whereby said reel may be rotated.

14. In apparatus fordyeing or treating yarn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, ayarn carrying reel rotatably mounted in said tank, a shaft arrying said reel and having ends extending through the slotted sides of the tank, means tor rotating; said shaft; said shaftrotating means being in operative relation at all times so that said reel may be rotated when disposed in any position vertically of the tank, fluidpressure actuated means at each sine of the tank for raising said shaft and the reel supported thereby, means for controlling the delivery of fluid-pressure to said actuating means, and means for equalizing the pressure so delivered.

15. In apparatus for dyeing or treating varn or other fibers, the combination of a tank having slotted sides, a reel rotatably mounted in said tank, a shaft carrying said reel and having portions extending through said slotted sides, fluid-pressure cylinders mounted at each side of said tank directly beneath the projecting ends of said shaft, pistons Within said cylinders, supporting means for each end of theshaft connected to said pistons, means for delivering fluid-pressure to said cylinders, means for equalizing the fluid pressure so delivered, and means for rotating the reel When disposed at any height with respect to the tank.

In itness whereof I have signed this specification.

HOWARD M. DUDLEY. 

